He’s since been a BBC pundit, Strictly Come Dancing star and a quiz show and Champions League programme host in Denmark

Manchester United’s agonising 26-year league title famine was partly down to longstanding problems between the sticks: while the likes of Gary Bailey, Chris Turner, Gary Walsh, Jim Leighton and even Mark Bosnich could put in respectable performances on their day, none were the truly world-class match-winner that the Red Devils desperately needed to get them over the finish line.

That problem evaporated when “bargain of the century” (according to Alex Ferguson) Schmeichel signed from Brondby in August 1991 for a paltry £505,000. He helped United to second place in his first term, won Euro 92 with the Danes over the summer, and then in 1992/93 kept an impressive 18 clean sheets as United marauded to league glory.

Schmeichel is most often spotted watching his son play for Leicester these days

After departing United in 1999, Schmeichel played for Sporting, Aston Villa and Manchester City, before retiring in 2003. He’s since been a BBC pundit, Strictly Come Dancing star, and a quiz show and Champions League programme host in Denmark.

His son Kasper, meanwhile, proved a chip off the old block by winning the Premier League with Leicester in 2015/16.

Steve Bruce

His two late headers at Hillsborough, where United were trailing 1-0 to Sheffield Wednesday, were the title race’s key turning point

A face can tell a thousand stories, and Bruce’s irregular visage is testament to a career spent happily having his features rearranged by balls and elbows while vanquishing the opposition. 1992/93 was the year he did it best.

Aged 32, Bruce already had 500 professional games (for Gillingham, Norwich and United) under his belt, and with Bryan Robson sidelined by injury he became the regular stand-in captain – and the epitome of this outfit’s grit and determination.

His two late headers at Old Trafford, where United were trailing 1-0 to Sheffield Wednesday, were the title race’s key turning point and propelled his side from second to top with five games to play.

Bruce left United in 1996, playing two seasons at Birmingham and then one at Sheffield United, where he was player-manager. He subsequently bossed Wigan, Crystal Palace, Birmingham (for six seasons, winning two Premier League promotions), Wigan again, Sunderland and Hull (including an FA Cup final appearance), and is currently comfy in the managerial hot seat of Aston Villa. He’s also published three cult novels – Sweeper!, Defender! and Striker! – y’know (under the pseudonym Steve Barnes).